Q: Do you think that Ohio State is one of the best teams who will not go to the tournament? Whether or not this is true, do you see them in the tournament next year?
— Jon Huntington, Ind.
A: Maybe and probably.
The Buckeyes’ Big Ten record was average (8-8) in a year the Big Ten was down, but no one else beat Illinois. Not Wake Forest, not Michigan State, not Cincinnati, not Wisconsin.
The Buckeyes were on the downside of the bubble before the Illinois win (if you were rating their “what if our administration hadn’t screwed us” chances). A strong Big Ten Tournament could have gotten them in the NCAAs because they had Penn State in the opener and Wisconsin in the second round. Both were winnable games.
Then again, Ohio State was 6-4 down the stretch of the regular season. If Minnesota and Indiana, each with 10 wins in the Big Ten, were going to be bubble teams, the Buckeyes were going to be a bubble team because their finish was not spectacular.
So the self-imposed ban did not necessarily keep them out of the NCAA Tournament. The NIT was a different matter. After beating Illinois, Ohio State was a marquee team for that tournament.
That ban, of course, was a sin. School was already in session when the administration said Ohio State could not play in this postseason because of rules violations. There was no chance for the seniors to transfer, if they wanted to, for infractions committed in the program.
And who says the NCAA needed to come down that hard? They could have taken scholarships, not the postseason.
Former coach Jim O’Brien was forced out and athletic director Andy Geiger, who did not investigate the basketball program closely enough, announced his early retirement. That should have been enough to satisfy the NCAA.
This business of a pre-emptive strike to avoid harsh sanctions is garbage.
As for next season, the Buckeyes lose two seniors from the eight-man rotation, starting guard Tony Stockman and reserve guard Brandon Fuss-Cheatham. They can get over that.
They add Sylvester Mayes, a JUCO player, who is potentially a 15 points a game scorer. Recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons said Mayes is a good get for OSU. He also can play the point, which means the Buckeyes will have a two-guard front next year with Mayes and Jamar Butler.
The other notable recruit is Brayden Bell, a 6-10 post from Utah. Gibbons said Bell has the potential to be a good college player, but he is not sure of his impact as a freshman.
Leading scorer Terence Dials is a junior. J.J. Sullinger, another junior, didn’t play well at the end of the regular season, but he had nice games and averaged 9 a game.
If Illinois loses all its guards and Michigan State’s Paul Davis goes early, looks like Ohio State and Indiana could be in the top division team next season.
